study abroad

Study Abroad in South Africa: Democracy, Development, Diplomacy—and Lions

Andrew J Schappert — Thu, 28 Aug 2025 17:45:40 +0000

Study Abroad in South Africa: Democracy, Development, Diplomacy—and Lions Andrew J Schappert Thu, 08/28/2025 - 13:45

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Michal McElwain Malur

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Schar School students walk with the lions at the Ukutula Conservation Center and Biobank. Photos provided

In the days before the 2025 fall semester began, graduate students from the Schar School of Policy and Government at �鶹��Ƶ ventured some 8,000 miles away from the Arlington, Virginia, campus to South Africa to take part in an academically rigorous study-abroad program hosted in partnership with the University of Pretoria.

Democracy, Development, and Diplomacy is a three-credit “global intensive” course set against the backdrop of South Africa’s first coalition government since 1994. The program challenged students to critically evaluate how domestic politics intersect with development strategies, regional security, and international diplomacy.

The course provided demanding case studies in governance adaptation and policy implementation, deepening students’ understanding of democratic transitions and international relations in practice.

“Study-abroad programs like this are invaluable to our students,” said Michal Malur, the Schar School’s director of external programs who served as part of the course leadership. “They strengthen résumés, expand global networks, and give students a perspective that simply cannot be gained in the classroom alone.”

Former Associate Dean Thys van Schaik, who has curated the program itinerary for two decades, once again led this year’s initiative. He emphasized that courses such as Democracy, Development, and Diplomacy play a vital role in advancing the mission of higher education.

“Study abroad transforms education. It’s not just about what students learn in lectures, it’s about how they live the lessons, experience the world firsthand and carry those insights into their careers and lives,” said van Schaik.

Academic sessions were held in Cape Town, Pretoria, and Johannesburg. Highlights included a panel on coalition governance and South Africa’s 2024 political transformation; briefings at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation on foreign policy and global security; and an in-depth exploration of constitutional design and legitimacy at Constitutional Hill, guided by judicial and academic experts.

Students also engaged in focused discussions on conservation, restorative justice, and biodefense with specialists at leading research institutes, reinforcing the connection between theoretical frameworks and real-world challenges.

“We weren’t just reading about democratic transitions,” said biodefense master’s student Kate Groves, “we were hearing directly from policymakers.”

German Acosta, a public administration master’s student, added that “the combination of site visits and lectures gave me a broader global perspective.”

The program’s experiential learning extended beyond the classroom and involved the local wildlife. In addition to spotting whales off the scenic coast of Cape Good Hope, a visit to the Ukutula Conservation Center and Biobank, a cutting-edge educational research hub for mammal and predator conservation, students engaged—safely and ethically—with a pride of lions. The lions are part of the center’s reproductive research on species that are keystones to African ecosystems.

Schar School students met dignitaries at South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation in Pretoria.

For more information on the Schar School’s study-abroad offerings, visit abroad.gmu.edu. Ben Main is a master of international security student in the Schar School.

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South Africa

Schar School Students Explore Geopolitics and Human Security in Cyprus

Andrew J Schappert — Thu, 24 Jul 2025 19:08:44 +0000

Schar School Students Explore Geopolitics and Human Security in Cyprus Andrew J Schappert Thu, 07/24/2025 - 15:08

�鶹��Ƶ students and professors with Chrysilios Chrysiliou (center), director of the Cyprus Center for Land, Open-Seas, and Port Security.

Students from �鶹��Ƶ’s Schar School of Policy and Government recently returned from an intensive study-abroad program in Cyprus, where they examined the Eastern Mediterranean’s shifting geopolitical landscape and human security challenges.

Led by Schar School professor Ellen Laipson, director of the master of international security program (ISEC), and Michal McElwain Malur, director of external programs, the course blended rigorous academic study with direct engagement with diplomats, policymakers, security officials, and civil society organizations.

High-level diplomatic engagement was a hallmark of the program. Before departing, students visited the Embassy of Cyprus in Washington, D.C., to meet Ambassador Evangelos Savva. In Cyprus, briefings at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs offered insights into the island’s strategic role in regional diplomacy. A highlight was meeting Carter Wilbur, a George �鶹��Ƶ alumnus and acting political-economic chief at the U.S. Embassy in Nicosia, who shared perspectives on U.S. policy and economic interests in Cyprus.

Security institutions and regional preparedness were other key focuses. The class visited facilities underscoring Cyprus’s role in regional security, including the Cyprus Center for Land, Open-Seas, and Port Security (CYCLOPS), a U.S.-Cyprus initiative serving as a regional hub for training in border security, customs enforcement, and cybersecurity.

Students also toured the Cyprus Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC), which coordinates maritime and aerial search and rescue operations. During their visit, the JRCC was actively managing evacuations following U.S. bombings in Iran—a vivid example of Cyprus’s role as a regional humanitarian hub.

The program emphasized peacebuilding efforts on the island. Students visited the United Nations Buffer Zone and met with representatives from the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP). They toured the Home for Cooperation, an NGO fostering dialogue between Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities and visited the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) Anthropological Laboratory, where a bi-communal team works to identify and return remains of individuals missing since the island’s 1974 division.

Beyond field visits, students attended lectures covering topics such as great power politics in the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkish Cypriot politics and economic developments since 1974, regional conflicts and their global implications, climate change and environmental security, energy developments, international law, and the transnational challenges of migration and climate.

“Offering these study-abroad experiences is essential to equipping our students with the knowledge, skills, and global awareness they need to become effective leaders and practitioners in policy and international affairs,” said Malur.

While the week was academically demanding, students also explored Cyprus’s archaeological sites in Kourion and Paphos to experience firsthand the island’s nearly 13,000 years of history. The program concluded with a scenic boat cruise along the coast—a well-deserved moment of reflection.

Students praised the program for its immersive, real-world learning.

“Seeing the JRCC coordinating evacuations in real time during U.S. military actions against Iran underscored the critical importance of human security in conflict zones and drove home the real-life implications of what we are learning in the classroom,” said Sarah Bassil, an ISEC student who was herself evacuated through Cyprus from Lebanon in 2006.

“Our group enjoyed lectures from leading experts, intensely engaging field visits, and great camaraderie among our diverse student group. Cyprus is an intriguing case study,” added John Thacker, another ISEC student.

As geopolitical tensions continue to shape the Eastern Mediterranean, Schar School students return to George �鶹��Ƶ with invaluable insights and a deeper understanding of how regional dynamics intersect with global security.

For more information on Schar’s study-abroad offerings, visit the Schar School study-abroad page.

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Ellen Laipson

Michal McElwain Malur

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Master of International Security

South of the Border, Deep in Policy: Study-Abroad Students Tackle U.S.-Mexico Relations in the Field

Andrew J Schappert — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 14:01:12 +0000

South of the Border, Deep in Policy: Study-Abroad Students Tackle U.S.-Mexico Relations in the Field Andrew J Schappert Mon, 07/07/2025 - 10:01

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Derek M. Mills

Michal McElwain Malur

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George �鶹��Ƶ’s study-abroad cohort visits the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México’s landmark Central Library. Adjunct professor Derek M. Mills is at right. Photo provided

You could feel the weight of geopolitics in the air as 15 �鶹��Ƶ students stepped onto the worn stone of the Plaza of Three Cultures, where centuries of conquest, revolution, and resilience converge. The students weren’t just tourists with backpacks and bottled water. They were emissaries of inquiry—and there would be a quiz.

Over a weeklong intensive in Mexico’s bustling capital, the students—most from George �鶹��Ƶ’s Schar School of Policy and Government—immersed themselves in the multifaceted knot of issues that define United States-Mexico relations. The students were eager to see firsthand elements of theory learned in classrooms: Migration, trade, national security, and the still-rippling effects of a second Trump administration.

“Throughout the program, students were encouraged to approach the experience not merely as observers but as engaged policy analysts,” said Derek M. Mills, the Schar School adjunct professor who led the trip. “The course, U.S.-Mexico Relations in the Age of Trump, provided an experiential lens into the historical, political, and economic complexities shaping bilateral ties.”

The group took deep dives into policy briefings with diplomats at the U.S. Embassy and with business leaders at the American Chamber of Commerce. They sat in on discussions at the Mexican Federal Congress and exchanged ideas with their counterparts at the prestigious Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM).

They weren’t just studying policy. They were living it.

A highlight was meeting Schar School alum Jose Loyola-Trujillo, who earned his PhD in public policy in 2005. Loyola, once Mexico’s undersecretary of energy, is now head of international affairs for LIGA MX—the top-flight Mexican soccer league.

Students also visited Casa de los Amigos, a migrant shelter that pulls no punches in portraying the human cost of border enforcement.

Another stop took the students to a nonprofit dedicated to empowering marginalized, refugee, and forcibly displaced people and families by means of a range of support programs. In fact, meeting the staff at New Comienzos “and hearing from returning migrants was inspiring to see how resilient they are and how that connects to the deep ties between Mexico and the United States,” said Jackie Tuala, a master’s student in public administration. “It was my favorite visit.”

There were lessons in history and humanity at every turn—from the pyramids of Teotihuacan to the testimonies of deportees. But there was also room for forward-looking policy dialogue.

In Cuernavaca, south of Mexico City, the group met with the Secretary of Tourism Josefina Rodriguez Zamora, who didn’t mince words about how U.S. political rhetoric affects Mexico’s global image. When U.S. media parrots terms like “rapists” and “murderers,” the official said, the damage isn’t abstract—it costs Mexico tourist dollars, jobs, and dignity.

Students also toured AirDesign and FloraPlant—two export-focused companies where the granular details of tariffs, supply chains, and sustainability initiatives became tangible.

“The trip brought the issues we study in class to life. I loved how everything—from policy debates to cultural sites—was tied together,” said Stella Lovelady, a master’s student at George �鶹��Ƶ’s Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution.

As the Trump administration 2.0 begins to cast long shadows over cross-border cooperation, the students came away with a clearer, more nuanced perspective, as well as a deeper sense of responsibility.

“Experience is crucial to our students’ professional development as future public, private, and nonprofit leaders,” said Michal McElwain Malur, Schar School’s external program director, who accompanied the students for the week.

“By engaging directly with these issues on the ground, they build the kind of informed, empathetic understanding that will shape them into thoughtful leaders in our increasingly interconnected world,” she said.

Study abroad is a vital and highly recommended component of a Schar School education. Questions on future classes can be directed to McElwain Malur at mmcelwai@gmu.eduand be found on the Schar School of Policy and Government Study Abroad page.

Students visit the U.S. embassy in Mexico to gain insights into the life and work of a diplomat. The students were briefed on issues of the day and saw in real time what they studied in classrooms. Photo by Ibis Perez.

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Engineering students in Ecuador give locals a leg up

Jennifer Pocock — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 18:37:38 +0000

Engineering students in Ecuador give locals a leg up Jennifer Pocock Wed, 06/11/2025 - 14:37

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Ketul Popat

Shani Ross

Sixteen students from George �鶹��Ƶ’s College of Engineering and Computing took an early summer ROMP in Quito.

Computer engineering major Darion El shapes a prosthetic as ROMP prostheticist Mireya Moreno supervises.
Photo by Shani Ross

It could have been just another frivolous start to the summer, full of parties and pools before kicking off internships and jobs. Instead, these students opted to change lives: those of amputees—and their own.

From May 16 to 26, 16 students in the BENG 417 Bioengineering World Health class with trip leaders Claudia Borke and Shani Ross worked in Quito, Ecuador, with the Range of Motion Project (ROMP) to fit locals with high-quality prosthetic devices. Ketul Popat, chair of the Department of Bioengineering, brought the ROMP program to George �鶹��Ƶ after a successful run at Colorado State University.

“This was the first year that we did this,” he said. “The goal was to give more hands-on experience to students so they could see how a background in engineering could make a difference in people’s lives instantly.”

Different styles of prosthetics are displayed with shoes at the ROMP workshop. Photo by Darion El

The students absolutely felt the difference. Nicolas Garcia Callejas is a rising senior who began his academic career as a pre-med nursing student, earned an associate’s degree in health science, and is now hurtling through undergrad and straight into a master’s in bioengineering with George �鶹��Ƶ’s Bachelor’s Accelerated Master’s (BAM) program.

“We got to know the patients and help them through the process. Then we got to do everything from scratch in making the prosthetics,” he said. “We went from taking measurements, doing the sculpting and molding, refinements around the socket, and building the prosthetic. It was a full 9-5 job, but the time flew by because I was having fun.”

This trip, Garcia Callejas said, lit a fire in him to continue working with ROMP. Not only did he get to help others, as he wanted to do as a nursing student, but he could also make things hands-on and use his language skills to help translate. “ROMP was a really cool experience. I fell in love with the people there.”

Andres Miguel Cruz Guzman was another student who transferred to George �鶹��Ƶ from a community college with an associate’s degree in engineering. This mechanical engineering major wants to eventually work on solar and water technology projects, but the personal and hands-on aspect of the Ecuador program attracted him.

“I liked that we were going to work directly with the patients,” he said. “The prosthetics are going on their bodies and will be something they wear for the next three years. I was intrigued by that challenge.”

One thing he didn’t anticipate, however, was the emotional aspect of the work. “I saw one 12-year-old boy walk for the first time. It didn’t hit me at the moment, but at bedtime the impact that we had on his life overwhelmed me,” he said.

Popat said that one thing that struck him was how quickly the students adapted to the work. “I went on the third day, and it didn’t seem like the students were new there,” he said. “They were already very comfortable with what they were doing.”

And that’s the kicker (pun intended). These programs are so valuable because they enable students to see, in a very short time, how their years of study prepared them to make a difference in the world.

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Carter School students attend the Oxford Consortium for Human Rights

Katarina Benson — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 17:08:27 +0000

Carter School students attend the Oxford Consortium for Human Rights Katarina Benson Mon, 04/21/2025 - 13:08

Four �鶹��Ƶ students from the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution traveled to Oxford University’s Magdalen College in the United Kingdom with Carter School dean Alpaslan Özerdem for the 2025 Oxford Consortium for Human Rights (OCHR). 

Billy Agwanda Nyadera, Anulina Sen, Hyoin Kim, and Avery Shippen attended the 2025 workshop “Human Rights in War and Climate Emergency” March 24 – 30, which explored the nature of modern warfare and the legal protections afforded to civilians, combatants, and detainees, as well as the science of climate change and its impact on humanity. 

Carter School students with Dean Özerdem. Photo provided

The workshop also examined the intersection of climate change and modern warfare, spotlighting the ramifications of combat on local environments. During the week-long event, the four students attended seminars on artificial intelligence (AI) and the impact of new technology, the use of religion in resolution tactics, mobilizing responses to build compassionate and just communities, and other topics.

“By joining this consortium, the Carter School offers its students a truly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Not only do they get to collaborate with peers from other leading U.S. universities, but they also engage in a transformative learning experience guided by distinguished scholars from the University of Oxford,” Özerdem said. “Studying and living in Oxford—even for just one week—provides students with a unique and inspiring environment that fosters intellectual growth, enhances self-confidence, and broadens their academic horizons.”

“This immersive experience also significantly strengthens their professional development and employability prospects after graduation, equipping them with the global perspective and collaborative skills sought after in today’s competitive world,” he added.

Sen, a master’s student at the Carter School, found the setting and the dialogue inspiring. “The Oxford Consortium has clarified my research, showed me possibilities in this field and led to unexpected conversations that challenged my views.”

"Attending the Oxford Consortium deepened my understanding of the intersection between war, climate emergencies, and human rights, said Kim, a conflict resolution student at the �鶹��Ƶ Korea campus who put what she learned into practice upon returning to campus. “I immediately turned my insights into action by organizing a campus event where students could share actions for peace through storytelling."

The students found the seminars to be of immense value to their own research as well as to their understanding of the modern conflict, the threat of climate change, and the crossover of the two areas of research and their impact on human rights. 

"I saw and experienced the fusion of minds and hearts in pursuit of solutions to some of the most pertinent issues facing our societies today,” said Nyadera, a Carter School doctoral student. “I feel profoundly grateful for the opportunity to participate and contribute to this pioneering program to connect Carter School student community with global conversations and networks. OCHR has been a true catalyst for my own work."

Shippen, an undergraduate student at the Carter School and the Honors College, also appreciated the opportunity the conference provided. “It helped me better understand the connection of human rights, war, and climate emergencies, as well as how I can help address these topics as a student,” Shippen said. “As someone passionate about global education, it was inspiring to learn from professionals and faculty who care deeply about human rights and the way they intersect with global challenges."

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Alpaslan Özerdem

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Professor, students travel to Rwanda for peace-building mission

Shayla Brown — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 14:14:32 +0000

Professor, students travel to Rwanda for peace-building mission Shayla Brown Wed, 04/16/2025 - 10:14

This spring, �鶹��Ƶ Professor Al Fuertes traveled to Rwanda to facilitate workshops for former victims and perpetrators of the 1994 Rwandan mass genocide.

“These are people who have extended forgiveness and reconciliation, something many of us might think is surreal or impossible,” said Fuertes, who teaches in the School of Integrative Studies in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. “But this is proof that even against the backdrop of genocide, it’s possible.”

Al Fuertes (bottom center) at a peace-building workshop in Rwanda. Photo provided.

Fuertes, who has a background in conflict analysis and resolution and specializes in trauma healing, has previously traveled to Rwanda in March and November 2024, and has taken students with him on some of his excursions as part of a study-abroad program for which he is the faculty director.

His most recent trip was in collaboration with the Department of Peace and Conflict Studies at the Protestant University of Rwanda (PUR) located in Huye District. Fuertes also connected and collaborated with the grassroots organization, "Light Group" in Remera, and the Aegis Trust, a program component of the Rwanda Genocidal Memorial.

Al Fuertes conducting a peace-building workshop. Photo provided.

“It's a different level of learning when students have the opportunity to meet firsthand those who were involved or impacted and are now sharing their stories,” said Fuertes.

“It is an extremely freeing and life-changing thing for students to experience, especially those who don't necessarily believe in forgiveness or who struggle to forgive.”

Each semester, Fuertes hosts a panel presentation of Rwandan survivors as part of the learning activities in my graduate courses CONF 695 Praxis of Forgiveness and Reconciliation amid Polarization and CONF 695 Psychosocial Trauma Healing. This spring semester’s panel resulted in increased participation from George �鶹��Ƶ students.

“Knowing that one of the challenges to reconciliation in Rwanda is poverty, students from my trauma-informed and resilience-oriented practice class decided to donate 15 goats to families of both former perpetrators and former victims, now survivors,” said Fuertes.

Dianne Rambo, BIS in Peacebuilding and Well-Being Studies ’24, has been a federal contractor in the intelligence world for more than 20 years. She came back to George �鶹��Ƶ to study the process of healing childhood trauma in adults in hopes of becoming a mental health counselor.

“I took [CONF 695 the Praxis of Forgiveness and Reconciliation] with Al, and the course material and experiential learning have really changed the course of my life and career goals,” said Rambo, who met Fuertes at an online workshop for forgiveness and reconciliation.

Rambo, who is currently a non-degree graduate student in George �鶹��Ƶ’s Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution and part of George �鶹��Ƶ's Working Group on Forgiveness and Reconciliation along with Fuertes, traveled to Rwanda with Fuertes for the 14-day winter study-abroad program focusing on genocide, healing, and reconciliation.

A healing circle. Photo by Al Fuertes.

“I met the Rwandans via Zoom panels while in Al’s class. We learned about their stories and it just blew my mind how they were facilitating this reconciliation as a nation and how it transformed their nation from this mass atrocity that happened just a couple decades ago,” said Rambo, who has also traveled to Northern Ireland, Scandanavia, and the Philippines for peace-building missions.

“Our program partners facilitated visits to the genocide memorials, and we were able to build a space that felt safe and comfortable. We'd debrief afterward where you can share the intense feelings that you may have experienced. We're seeing really hard things, but we're able to process our emotions,” said Rambo.

Rambo has been accepted into George �鶹��Ƶ's CEHD Counseling degree program and will begin the cohort program this fall.

Rambo, Fuertes, and their program partners also have participants journal and conduct community-building activities.

“I thought of bringing healing through peace-building because it's not enough just to resolve the conflict,” said Fuertes. “If victimization is not healed, most likely, people may start embracing the victim narrative and eventually become the new perpetrator.”

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Master of Public Administration

Examining Transnational Security Issues: A Schar School Study-Abroad Experience in Costa Rica

Andrew J Schappert — Mon, 07 Apr 2025 19:48:17 +0000

Examining Transnational Security Issues: A Schar School Study-Abroad Experience in Costa Rica Andrew J Schappert Mon, 04/07/2025 - 15:48

Schar School students visit Costa Rica’s Monteverde Cloud Forest to assess the impact of illegal deforestation and wildlife trafficking. Photos provided.

During this year’s spring break in March, 25 �鶹��Ƶ students, many of them graduate students at the Schar School of Policy and Government, traveled to Costa Rica for an immersive study-abroad program focused on transnational security—tackling complex issues such as human trafficking, migration, environmental crimes, and the illicit drug trade.

From left, student Hannah Townley, Salazar, and Pardo-Herrera.

Led by international development scholar Camilo Pardo-Herrera, PhD Public Policy ’19, and in partnership with Costa Rica’s Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO) University, a network of social sciences academics founded in 1957 by UNESCO, the program combined academic coursework with real-world exposure to transnational security challenges affecting Latin America and the United States.

The program began in the Costa Rican capital of San José, where students attended sessions analyzing the role of globalization in transnational crime, the economics of illicit markets, and the regional security policies shaping migration patterns. A key theme was the link between organized crime, corruption, and governance, with case studies illustrating how illicit financial flows sustain criminal enterprises.

After traveling to Monteverde, students explored environmental crime and conservation policy, visiting the Monteverde Cloud Forest and Selvatura Park to assess the impact of illegal deforestation and wildlife trafficking. Discussions focused on how environmental degradation fuels security threats, from resource conflicts to displacement. These site visits reinforced classroom discussions on how governments and nongovernment organizations combat illegal environmental activities while balancing economic development.

From left, international development scholar Camilo Pardo-Herrera, PhD Public Policy ’19, who led the trip, FLACSO Costa Rica Director Karla Salazar, and student Sarah Bissell holding her FLACsO certification of completion.

The journey continued to Arenal, where students examined the relationship between ecotourism and security policies. Through group discussions, they assessed how tourism can be leveraged to prevent illicit activities while promoting sustainable development.

Reflecting on the program, tour leader Pardo-Herrera praised the students’ engagement and enthusiasm.

“Students approached each topic with curiosity and dedication,” he said. “Seeing them connect academic theory with field observations was exciting. This experience not only deepened their understanding of transnational security but also prepared them to think critically about global solutions.”

Morian Bailey, a student in the Schar School’s master of public administration program, highlighted the value of diverse perspectives within the traveling cohort.

“The best part of this study abroad was how culturally diverse my classmates were,” she said. “Everyone had different viewpoints from their respective programs, and it was great to engage with them.”

Kayla Maxey, a senior from George �鶹��Ƶ’s School of Integrative Studies, shared that the trip was academically stimulating. “We physically went to see where the things we learned took place,” she said. “I can't wait to apply what I learned to my degree and career.”

With the support of FLACSO Costa Rica, this study-abroad experience provided a unique opportunity for students to analyze security challenges from multiple perspectives. By the end of the course, participants left with a deeper understanding of policy responses to transnational security issues—knowledge that will shape their future academic and professional pursuits.

Author Sarah Bassil is an international securities master’s student at the Schar School of Policy and Government.

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For more information about the International Relations Policy Task Force or any of the Schar School’s other learning communities, visit this website.

Strategic Direction

Annual Spring Break Trip to U.S.-Mexico Border Changes Perspectives

Andrew J Schappert — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 18:07:03 +0000

Annual Spring Break Trip to U.S.-Mexico Border Changes Perspectives Andrew J Schappert Thu, 04/03/2025 - 14:07

The spring break trip to the U.S.-Mexico border featured discussions as well as excursions.

For their March 2025 spring break, eight members of the International Relations Policy Task Force (IRTF) at �鶹��Ƶ's Schar School of Policy and Government and one Global Affairs student, along with Associate Professor Eric McGlinchey and Assistant Director of Student Engagement Emilee Duffy, traveled to the United States-Mexico border for a firsthand look at immigration issues and the challenges facing those living and working in the area.

Students got an up-close look at the border wall.

Abara, a nonprofit organization based in El Paso, Texas, dedicated to fostering peace through educational programs around immigration and border realities, hosted the students for the weeklong study-abroad trip, which is also a 1-credit course.

The packed agenda mixed discussions about migration root causes, historic and current border realities, and dignified storytelling and ethical volunteerism with visits to the border fence, a migrant shelter run by Abara, and the Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez across a bridge in Mexico. There, Schar School students engaged in conversation with their peers in the Department of Social Sciences and bonded over their similar tastes in music. IRTF students also toured Ciudad Neuva, a nonprofit committed to advancing the renewal and development of central El Paso’s Rio Grande neighborhood before departing for White Sands National Park.

For Sarah Elpers, a junior government and international politics and geology double major, the trip clarified that some concepts benefit from an in-person learning experience.

A visit to White Sands National Park concluded the week.

“The articles we read are incredibly well written and informative, but they certainly paint a picture in your mind that isn’t always true,” she said. “This trip taught me that many Americans perceive the border as very dangerous and the bane of the country. In reality, however, it’s just another part of people’s lives. It’s very easy to believe what certain media puts out but being able to actually see what the border and immigration process is like puts things in perspective.”

Hakeem Osman, a junior government and international politics major, said the expedition helped him better understand immigration and policy as it pertains to people on both sides of the border. A high point for him was the visit to the migrant shelter, where he and his colleagues shared a meal with people in the process of migrating and learned more about their stories.

“This moment was impactful for me because it really highlighted the way that media narratives and reality often diverge,” he said. “Throughout the week we explored many heavy themes but we also found joy and friendship in these solemn moments. If you’re in the policy sphere I encourage you to take a step back and question the narratives shaping your perception of migrants and the immigration process. Narrative precedes policy and as policymakers it is imperative to remember that the policies you make affect real people.”

At the end of the week, students left with a broader viewpoint on the border crisis, one that may have differed from the one they arrived with.

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